Nature and wildlife

Honored photographer (and neighbor) Paul Anderson shares a recent landing shot of one of our bald eagles, as remarkable an eagle shot as we've published. The bald eagles are certainly one of the glories of life in Rancho Murieta. Click the photo to see it larger, and realize its full quality, and then click this link to see what we believe were the first eagle photos published at RanchoMurieta.com, in 2007-08. Camera technology has advanced quite a bit in the last 11 years – and of course Paul's quite a photographer – but it's one of those night/day differences, as you'll see.(Click for larger image)Read more » about We Live Here: Our eagles, then and now

Much of Northern California is under a red flag warning from Saturday night through Monday morning – with a forecast of high winds, low humidity and an elevated fire risk. The fire threat has been real enough, with the leveling of Paradise and the loss of many lives, plus fires in Southern California. These disasters have touched us only in the form of smoky skies, such as this Friday sunset captured by Bill Gengler.(Click for larger image)Read more » about California fires darken our skies

Here’s a chance to pitch in to help keep Rancho Murieta’s lakes beautiful. Lake Clean-Up Day is Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m. Meet at Lake Clementia at 8 a.m. for assignments. Bags, gloves and litter catchers will be provided by the Rancho Murieta Association. Teens and youngsters working for community service credits are welcome. The day is sponsored by Saving Our Lakes & Open Spaces (SOLOS), the Rancho Murieta Fishing Club and the Murieta Trails Stewardship. There will be coffee, hot chocolate and pastries. (File photo)Read more » about Pitch in: Saturday is Lake Clean-Up Day

Autumn slips over Rancho Murieta gently, with shorter days and chilly nights and turning the leaves of one tree, then another, and another. Sunday afternoon, as sunset cast our bridge in gold, a lone tree was proof enough that a new season is on its way. (Click for larger image.)Read more » about A new season, announced silently

It doesn't compare to the number of fish that died there last year, but Thursday morning a Community Services District crew was on Laguna Joaquin picking up dozens of dead fish. Click photos for larger images.

Brian Rogers was crossing the wooden bridge Tuesday night, coming from South to North, when he saw this mountain lion at the river's edge on the north side. He said he snapped these phone photos and watched it for several minutes before other carts stopped to watch and the cat ambled off into the brush. (Thanks, Brian, for sharing.)

July 2018 will be remembered as a month when fires scorched Northern California. While we've been spared, our skies haven't, and the last day of July ended with a smoky sunset at the northwestern edge of Rancho Murieta.(Click photo for larger image.)Read more » about A smoky sunset closes a fiery July